Silence No More
by misc666
Summary: Short one-shot set before he Chuunin Exam. A look into the thoughts of Zaku Abumi as he waits with his team for the man who trained them, Orochimaru.


Silence No More

            By Misc666

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In the darkness of a room Zaku Abumi shot awake. The sounds normally associated with the night could be heard by anyone. But the increased hearing of the Sound-ninja Village was able to pick up more. One of these such sounds was that of the flies preying on the body of the ninja from the Hidden Waterfall Village he'd killed the night before.

The sounds of snoring could also be heard in the large room from where both of his 'partners' lay asleep still. Dosu lay quite near with the fur he normally wore over his back covering his front. Underneath Zaku was unable to see the other boy's face, although if he did he knew he'd see the bandages that covered his face.

A good distance Zaku could see the token girl of their team, Kin Tsuchi. She didn't seem to trust the two boys, and this was perfectly shown by the line of kunai separating her from them, well that and the rabbit impaled underneath one. Zaku knew she was the weakest of them, but he had no desire to test it out.

Overall they'd have looked a strange trio to anyone else. Maybe it was the fact that they were all from different countries. Maybe it was the symbol of their village, that of the Hidden Sound, which was so new that people rarely knew about it. Of course nobody who had such thoughts normally lived long enough to voice them.

Orochimaru-sama.

The man who'd brought them and fifteen other children of their age together. He'd trained them and let them grow up together. Until the last few weeks when everyone was getting into the use of their techniques. Then he made them all take the graduation exam. 

Although Orochimaru-sama had apparently been raised in the Hidden Leaf Village as a ninja it seemed that he'd looked to the Hidden Mist for inspiration in making his graduation exam. Despite there being eighteen of them he only wanted three Genins. So they were split into three groups and forced to fight to the death.

And the three of them were the sole survivors of that exam. The three who most had the lack of pity for people they'd became close to. However in the end it also made them suspicious of each other. How do you trust the two people who seemed more than willing to kill others they'd grown up with?

Of course it wasn't as if they were 'friends'. Each of them was more secretive about their pasts than even Orochimaru-sama. But Zaku cared very little for such pleasantries as this. They were tools to be used by Orochimaru-sama, and not to be swayed if one of the others was to feel he or she did not need the man who'd trained them. In that respect Zaku knew that Orochimaru-sama had been careful in making sure they were distant from each other.

Zaku remembered the day before as he waited outside the Hidden Cloud Village. He'd seen the young Genin inside and saw how they played together and worked together. And part of him had felt a twinge of desire for that kind of life, but yet he knew that he wasn't designed for a life of mediocrity. He knew he was far stronger than an average Genin and probably even more than most Chuunin, and he liked it that way.

But suddenly he felt the hatred and fear he had for the other two. Quietly he removed one of his kunai as he slipped silently towards Dosu. Standing above the wrapped up bundle he held his kunai tightly looking down. One short stab and he would be able to end what he felt for him. Just one.

"Zaku, what are you trying to do?" A mocking voice emerged from the bundle as Dosu's arm shot up to grab his, with a slight twitch he was able to make Zaku drop it to the ground. Dosu's face appeared from beneath with a maniacal laugh. Although he couldn't tell for sure Zaku assumed by the way his eye looked and the slight crease around the mouth that he was smirking.

"Damn you. I'm going to get rid of you, Orochimaru-sama doesn't need someone like you." Zaku threw off Dosu's grip as he leapt back. Air began to build in the tubes along his arms. Dosu just laughed even more at the situation.

"Oh, really? Well, looks like we're finally going to discover which of us is most worthy to serve Orochimaru-sama. Do you really think I am going to be the loser?" Dosu pulled his cloak back revealing the gauntlet he wore over one arm. Flicking it slightly it began to give off waves of sound.

"Fighting for the honour of saving me? How lovely to see children fighting to the death." Both spun at the voice to see a tall man with long black hair and snake-like eyes. Both dropped to the ground in respect for Orochimaru.

"Idiots, fighting as usual." Kin tossed her hair as she stood up. Zaku glared at her as Orochimaru laughed slightly.

"Well I have a mission for the three of you. Seems like the Chuunin Exam is going to happen soon. I want you to enter." Orochimaru looked over for confirmation that they understood what he was talking about.

Chuunin Exam? Zaku looked over as he wondered why Orochimaru would care about them becoming Chuunin. In their village there were no Chuunin although many were far more able that others, the amazingly strong Sound-Five being one group of them. And Orochimaru-sama had never before cared to enter any, just in case someone from his old village, that of the Hidden Leaf, was to recognise him. Finally he had to ask about it.

"Why do you want us to enter? We all fight at least as strong as an average Chuunin. I wouldn't have thought you'd care about what rank we were." Zaku found himself forced to the ground by Orochimaru's glare as the pure power inside him penetrated Zaku slowly. Neither Dosu or Kin bothered to look over, instead glad it wasn't happening to them.

"Well, I don't care one bit. However I have a job for the three of you. There is a boy I am interested in. The last survivor of the Uchiha clan, apart from Uchiha Itachi." Zaku noticed the way Orochimaru grimaced as he said that name. Zaku still had trouble realising that Orochimaru-sama could be afraid of any other ninja.

"Before any of you ask. Your mission is to kill Uchiha Sasuke and bring me his body, complete with the secret of the Sharingan. I've made you a list of what you need to know to pass the exam with ease." Orochimaru removed a scroll from his pocket and dropped it to the ground. Then he left without saying any more.

"Well, maybe we'll be able to finish our fight during the exam. Although personally I wonder whether it's worth our time hunting down this Uchiha." Dosu waved his sound gauntlet dismissively as he walked out the door. Kin spared him one more look before following picking up the scroll and following him out.

Zaku made a vow that day. He'd kill this Uchiha Sasuke with his two arms for Orochimaru-sama. And nothing would stop him.

With Zaku Abumi around there would no longer be any **silence. **


End file.
